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RailRiders' attendance increases for third straight season

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An announced crowd of 11,515, a Yankees-era record, watched the RailRiders defeat Lehigh Valley on April 10 in the 2017 home opener.

It was the start of a good season for ticket sales at PNC Field.

The team drew 439,412 fans during the regular season — an average of 6,462 in 68 home dates — for the third-highest total since the Yankees affiliation with the franchise began in 2007.

It is also the third straight year attendance has increased.

“Obviously, to continually increase our attendance is important,” said Josh Olerud, RailRiders team president and chief operating officer. “It’s big. It shows that we’re doing the right things and our fans are letting us know that. They’re coming back for more than just baseball.”

SWB posted its best attendance in the RailRiders era (since 2013), topping the first year of the renovated PNC Field (435,839).

The franchise record for attendance came in that first Yankees season (580,908), followed by 485,999 in 2008. The Red Barons’ best season was 1992, when they drew 560,454.

The RailRiders stayed consistent with the rest of the 176 minor league teams. Minor League Baseball welcomed 41,832,364 fans to stadiums this season, the fifth most in its history.

“I think it’s just the value of the ticket,” Olerud said. “I think that we work hard on, not just putting on a good show, (but) that there’s a lot of family affordable entertainment going on from the time you pull up to the stadium, to the free program, to the bobbleheads, to getting the intimate experience with meeting players and getting kids on the field and all that kind of stuff.

Olerud pointed to the RailRiders’ expanded ticket sales staff as a possible reason for this season’s increase, with the team making its way into markets it might not have in the past. Olerud also said the show rate for the season — that is, how much of the paid attendance actually walks through the gates on game day — was up about 3 percent from last year.

“To sell more tickets is one thing, but to have them show is as important, if not more,” he said.

2018 schedule

The RailRiders begin next season at home, when they welcome Syracuse to PNC Field on April 6. SWB plays the Chiefs three times that homestand, then takes on rival Lehigh Valley for three more.

The team is home for 15 games in May, the most for any month, and gets its first shot at Governors’ Cup champion Durham on June 5-7 in Moosic.

For the first time since 2010, SWB will play at PNC Field on Memorial Day, with the final game of a short homestand against Syraucse on tap. Olerud said that’s a “double-edged sword,” because since 2013, that date has been set aside for the District 2 baseball championships. Under the league’s new scheduling system, the RailRiders can no longer request to be on the road for specific days. Olerud said the team is still trying to work out something with District 2, and that their interest in hosting the games hasn’t wavered.

The RailRiders are also home July 4, the beginning of a two-game homestand against Buffalo.

Contact the writer:

cfoley@timesshamrock.com;

570-348-9125;

@RailRidersTT on Twitter

SWB Attendance

YEAR TOTAL OPENINGS AVG.

2017 439,412 68 6,462

2016 424,991 70 6,071

2015 402,731 70 5,753

2014 401,618 68 5,906

2013 435,839 68 6,409

2012# 272,168 69 3,944

2011 298,098 65 4,586

2010 338,731 68 4,981

2009 *358,888 58 6,188

2008 485,999 68 7,147

2007 580,908 66 8,802

2006 376,284 68 5,534

2005 400,726 70 5,725

2004 402,676 65 6,195

2003 427,445 66 6,476

2002 460,596 70 6,580

2001 452,007 70 6,457

2000 458,584 65 7,055

1999 439,171 68 6,458

1998 406,735 67 6,071

1997 441,410 65 6,897

1996 458,033 64 7,156

1995 489,040 68 7,192

1994 476,053 66 7,212

1993 542,558 68 7,979

1992 560,454 68 8,242

1991 546,533 68 8,037

1990 545,844 66 8,270

1989 445,000 57 7,807

#Spent season on road during PNC Field renovations

* Includes four home games away from PNC Field

Major attendance for minors

■ Of Minor League Baseball’s 176 teams, 83 saw an increase in average attendance and 75 saw an increase in total attendance.

■ The Dayton Dragons, Class-A affiliate of the Cincinnati Reds, sold out 1,246 consecutive games. The streak stretches back to 2000.

■ The Frisco RoughRiders, Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers, led Double-A in attendance for the 13th straight season.

■ The Clearwater Threshers, High-A affiliate of the Phillies, drew the second most fans (200,201) in Florida State League history.

■ The Indianapolis Indians, Triple-A affiliate of the Pirates, led all teams in attendance for the second consecutive year with 641,141 fans.

■ Former football phenom Tim Tebow helped Mets affiliates Columbia and Port St. Lucie set franchise attendance records, and both leagues, the South Atlantic League (2.1 percent over 2016) and the Florida State League (12.4), saw increases in total attendance.

SOURCE: MILB

RailRiders 2018 schedule

APRIL

A5: Off day

A6: Syracuse

A7: Syracuse

A8: Syracuse

A9: Lehigh Valley

A10: Lehigh Valley

A11: Lehigh Valley

A12: at Charlotte

A13: at Charlotte

A14: at Charlotte

A15: at Charlotte

A16: at Rochester

A17: at Rochester

A18: at Rochester

A19: Off day

A20: Toledo

A21: Toledo

A22: Toledo

A23: Columbus

A24: Columbus

A25: Columbus

A26: Off day

A27: at Lehigh Valley

A28: at Lehigh Valley

A29: at Lehigh Valley

A30: Buffalo

MAY

M1: Buffalo

M2: Buffalo

M3: Pawtucket

M4: Pawtucket

M5: at Pawtucket

M6: at Pawtucket

M7: at Syracuse

M8: at Syracuse

M9: at Syracuse

M10: Rochester

M11: Rochester

M12: Rochester

M13: Rochester

M14: Off day

M15: Lehigh Valley

M16: Lehigh Valley

M17: Lehigh Valley

M18: at Buffalo

M19: at Buffalo

M20: at Buffalo

M21: at Pawtucket

M22: at Pawtucket

M23: at Pawtucket

M24: at Pawtucket

M25: Syracuse

M26: Syracuse

M27: Syracuse

M28: Syracuse

M29: at Louisville

M30: at Louisville

M31: at Louisville

JUNE

J1: at Indianapolis

J2: at Indianapolis

J3: at Indianapolis

J4: Off day

J5: Durham

J6: Durham

J7: Durham

J8: Louisville

J9: Louisville

J10: Louisville

J11: Rochester

J12: Rochester

J13: Rochester

J14: at Syracuse

J15: at Syracuse

J16: at Syracuse

J17: at Syracuse

J18: Off day

J19: Lehigh Valley

J20: Lehigh Valley

J21: Lehigh Valley

J22: at Rochester

J23: at Rochester

J24: at Rochester

J25: at Lehigh Valley

J26: at Lehigh Valley

J27: at Lehigh Valley

J28: at Lehigh Valley

J29: Pawtucket

J30: Pawtucket

JULY

J1: Pawtucket

J2: at Buffalo

J3: at Buffalo

J4: Buffalo

J5: Buffalo

J6: at Pawtucket

J7: at Pawtucket

J8: at Pawtucket

J9-11: All-Star Break

J12: Rochester

J13: Rochester

J14: Rochester

J15: Rochester

J16: at Toledo

J17: at Toledo

J18: at Toledo

J19: at Columbus

J20: at Columbus

J21: at Columbus

J22: at Columbus

J23: Off day

J24: Charlotte

J25: Charlotte

J26: Charlotte

J27: Gwinnett

J28: Gwinnett

J29: Gwinnett

J30: at Rochester

J31: at Rochester

AUGUST

A1: at Rochester

A2: at Rochester

A3: Buffalo

A4: Buffalo

A5: Buffalo

A6: Off day

A7: at Norfolk

A8: at Norfolk

A9: at Norfolk

A10: at Durham

A11: at Durham

A12: at Durham

A13: Indianapolis

A14: Indianapolis

A15: Indianapolis

A16: Norfolk

A17: Norfolk

A18: Norfolk

A19: Norfolk

A20: Off day

A21: at Buffalo

A22: at Buffalo

A23: at Buffalo

A24: at Lehigh Valley

A25: at Lehigh Valley

A26: at Lehigh Valley

A27: at Lehigh Valley

A28: Syracuse

A29: Syracuse

A30: Syracuse

A31: Pawtucket

SEPTEMBER

S1: Pawtucket

S2: at Pawtucket

S3: at Pawtucket

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